Changeable sign



July 2, 1935- R. R. lsENHoUR 2,006,573

CHANGEABLE SIGN Filed April 26, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 1 R. R. ISENHOUR CHANGEABLE SIGN July z, 1935.

Filed April 26, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 2, 1935 `,UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFicE CHANGEABLE SIGN Russell B.. Isenhour, Geneva, N. Y. Application April 26, 1934, Serial No. 722,588

. 7 Claims. This invention relates to a changeable sign and lis designed more especially as an improvement upon the structure disclosed in my Patent No. 1,843,818, issued on February 2, 1932.

It is an object of the present invention to pro- Ivide a sign made up of interchangeable plates mounted in a frame of novel construction which is. adaptable to all sizes and arrangements of plates and to a sign which is formed either of a single series of plates or opposed series placed back to back.

It is another object to provide a sign the frame of which is not only easily adjustable but can be assembled readily. I

Another object is to provide a structure which is cheap to manufacture and has sufficient strength to withstand all strains to which metal signs are ordinarily subjected.

A still further object is to provide a device which can be easily knocked down for compact storage when not in use and the members of which can be interchanged at will.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In'the accompanying drawings the preferred form. of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings v Figure 1 is a front elevation of a double sign constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the opposite 'side thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 3 3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on line 4 4, Figure l.

Figure 5 is a side elevation.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on line 6 6, Figure l. 4

Figure 7 is an end view of an intermediate sign panel.

Figure 8 is an end view of another form of intermediate panel.

Figure 9 is an end view panel.

of a top or bottom Figure 10 is a front elevation of a top barv forming a part of the frame of the sign.

(ci. .la-6a) Figure 11 is a front elevation ate bar.

Referring to the ilgures by characters of ref,- erence I and 2 designate side strips arranged ln pairs, the strips of each pair being parallel. All 5 of the strips are provided, at their upper ends. with openings 3 and formed longitudinally within the strips are slots I. The openings I of each pair of strips receive a bolt i and plvotally mounted on one of these bolts are top bars 6. Each 1o bar has a slot l extending downwardly thereinto for the reception of the other bolt 5. If the sign is of double construction as illustrated, two of these top bars 6 are used and they are held apart by spacing sleeves I mounted on the bolts.

At any desired points along the side strips I there may be arranged other cross bars which are secured adjustably in position by bolts 8 extending through the slots I. Some of these bars Il are extended throughout the width of the sign 20 and are pivotally mounted at one end of their bolts while the other nds of -the bars have slots II extending into th ir ends as shown in Figure l1 to receive the other bolts. Other bara'which have been indicated at I2, can be extended part 25 way across the sign in which event these bars would not be provided with slots II.

The plates or panels used in connection with the cross bars of the sign can be of different contours but generally itis essential that panels I0 shaped as shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 be employed. The panel shown in Figure 8 is generally located between the lower bars of the sign and includes, in addition to its main body portion Il, an offset portion forming an angular sleeve Il 8l along one edge thereof. This sleeve has a longitudinal'slot I5 extending throughout the length thereof. The sleeve laps the body portion Il but is spaced therefrom to form a longitudinal channel I6. The opposite edge of the panel is offset 40 and folded to form a T-shaped flange Il extending longitudinally of the body. this ange providing a longitudinal enamel I8 disposed opposite to and parallel with the channel It.

of an intermedi- The panel generally used betweenv the upper intended to design it as shown in `Figure 9. The body portion 23 of this panel is formed with a T-shaped flange 24 along one edge which laps the body portion to provide a channel 25. This ange is similar in shape and size to the ange I'I heretofore described.

In assembling a sign such as herein described the bars are all disconnected from the side strips 2. This can be done by loosening the bolts 5 and 9 so that said bolts can be withdrawn from the slots l and I I in the bars. Thereafter the bars are adjusted relative to each other on the side strips I until they have been properly spaced to engage the respective panels of the sign. After the bars have thus been adjusted the panel I9 can be slid onto the upper bar 6 and the next adjoining bar I0. Thereafter the ange 24 of the top panel 23 is inserted into the slot 2| in the upper sleeve 20 so that the flange will be frictionally held between one wall of the sleeve and the bar 6.

Thereafter a panel such as shown in Figure 8 is placed in position with its sleeve I4 on another bar I0 and with its ange I1 extended into the slot 2| in the lower sleeve 20 and frictionally gripped between one wall of said sleeve and the bar I0 within the sleeve.

Another panel i3 can then be placed in position with its sleeve I4 on the lower bar IB and with its flange I1 seated in the sleeve I4 of the panel I3 thereabove.

The bottom of the sign can be provided with a panel 23 the flange 24 of which is frictionally held within the lower sleeve I4 between one of its walls and the bar I0 supporting it.

When the panels are assembled as described they will present superposed oppositely arranged channels into which flat metal plates or the like bearing numbers, letters or other characters can be slid for the purpose of display. Some of these plates have been indicated by dotted lines at P.

Should it be desired to use plates of different heights in the sign, the short bars I2 can be located where they will engage the shorter plates as shown at P in Figure 1 while the longer bars 6 and I0 can be extended thereunder for engagement with the sleeves on a wide panel of the type shown in Figure 7, thereby to present upper and lower channels 22 for the reception of long plates P'.

Obviously a sign can be formed of two pairs of side strips and one set of cross bars together with one set of panels in engagement with the bars. If preferred, however, two sets of cross bars can be used in which event two sets of panels will also be employed, being placed back to back as shown in the present drawings. 'I'hus a double sign is produced, but obviously by removing one set of cross bars and the set of panels engaging the same the structure could be reduced readily to a single sign or a sign of one thickness.

After the various panels have been assembled on the bars the bolt 5 carried by the strips 2 is inserted downwardly into the slot I and thereafter the bolts 9 on said strips are brought into the slots II. All of the bolts are then tightened and a strong rigid sign will result. It is to be understood of course that where a double sign is used as shown it is desirable to employ spacing sleeves on all of the bolts between the ends of the cross bars.

One of the top bars 6 and one of the intermediate or lower bars I0 can be formed with an extension 26 of any desired shape and size for attachment to a post or other support.

Obviously by constructinga sign such as described it is possible readily to rearrange or enlarge the parts and to substitute panels. By simply loosening the bolts 5 and 9 carried by strips 2, said strips can be quickly detached from the cross bars, thereby permitting quick and convenient removal of any or all of the panels and any or all of the sign plates P or P.

It will be apparent that the members of this sign can be disconnected easily and compactly shipped or stored.

What is claimed is:

l. A knockdown interchangeable sign including parallel side strips arranged in pairs, crossv bars adjustably connected to one pair of side strips and adjustably and detachably connected to the other side strips, panels interposed between the cross bars, a sleeve on one of the panels embracing one of the cross bars, and an oiset flange carried by the other panel and slidably seated within said sleeve and between the wall of the sleeve and the bar on which it is mounted.

2. In a sign separate panels each having a longitudinal slotted sleeve cooperating with its panel to form a channel, an angular flange oiset from one of the panels and seated in the slotted sleeve of the other panel, the channels provided by the two panels cooperating to receive opposed edge portions of a sign plate or the like, cross bars seated in the sleeves for holding the angular flanges frictionally between the bars and the walls of the sleeves, and side strips adjustably and detachably engaged by the ends of the bars.

3. In a sign separate panels each having an oiset portion providing a slotted sleeve, a portion of the sleeve being spaced from the panel to provide a channel, an oiset angular iiange on one of said panels, said flange being insertable into and slidable within the slotted sleeve of the other panel, cross bars insertable into the sleeves and constituting means for gripping the anges between the sleeves and the bars, and side strips adjustably and detachably engaged by the bars.

4. In a sign a pair of side strips, a top cross bar connected thereto, additional cross bars adjustably connected to the side strips, panels each having a longitudinally slotted otset sleeve cooperating with the panel to provide a channel, each sleeve being slidably mounted on a cross bar, an olset angular flange on one of the panels slidably mounted in the slotted sleeve of an adjoining panel and gripped between the wall of said sleeve and the bar on which the sleeve is mounted, there being slots in all of the cross bars, a second pair of side strips, and means connecting the side strips and detachably seated in the slots in the cross bars for retaining the panels on said bars and holding the bars in parallel spaced relation.

5. A knockdown sign including cross bars, side strips pivotally and adjustably engaged by one end of the cross bars, side strips detachably and adjustably engaged by the other ends of the cross bars, panels interposed between the side strips and cross bars, and intertting portions upon the panels for slidable and frictional engagement with the bars.

6. A knockdown sign including cross bars, side strips pivotally and adjustably engaged by one end of the cross bars, side strips detachably and adjustably engaged by the other ends of the cross bars, panels interposed between the side strips and cross bars, and intertting portions upon the panels for slidable and frictional engagement with the bars. said means including a sleeve on one panel having a longitudinal slot, said sleeve being oiset from the panel and cooperating therewith to form a. channel, and an angular ilange offset from another panel and seated in the wall in said sleeve and between the wall of the sleeve and 1 the bar engaged thereby.

'1. A knockdown sign including cross bars, side strips pivotally and adjustably engaged by one end of the cross bars, side strips detachably and adjustably engaged by the other ends of the cross bars, panels interposed between the side strips and cross bars, and interiitting portions upon the panels for slidable and frictional engagement with the bars and support engaging means carried by one oi' the cross bars. 

